Expression of Cytosolic Phospholipase A2 (cPLA2)-Arachidonic Acid (AA)-Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) Pathway Factors in Lung Cancer Patients and Its Implication in Lung Cancer Early Detection and Prognosis.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to elucidate the involvement of cPLA2-AA-COX-2 pathway factors and their potential role in lung cancer early diagnosis and prognosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS We selected 80 lung cancer patients as the cancer group, and 30 normal patients were selected as the normal group. Serum contents of COX-2, cPLA2, COX-1, mPGES, PGE2, and PGI2 were measured, and mRNA levels of COX-2, cPLA2, COX-1, and mPGES in serum were determined. Spearman's P-test was used to analyze the correlation between expression of PGI2 and mPGES in serum and the clinical characteristics of these lung cancer patients. The factors affecting the prognosis lung cancer were analyzed by COX regression model. RESULTS The serum contents of COX-2, cPLA2, COX-1, mPGES, PGE2, and PGI2 in the cancer patient group were significantly higher (p<0.05) than in the normal group; after treatment, the serum contents of these factors were significantly decreased (p<0.05). However, distant metastasis had a significant effect on serum contents of mPGES and PGI2 (p<0.05), but not on the other factors. The mRNA levels of COX-2, cPLA2, COX-1, and mPGES in cancer patients were significantly higher than in normal patients. In addition, the 5-year survival rate of patients with high expression of mPGES and/or PGI2 was lower than that of the low expression group. Cox regression analysis showed that the expression of mPGES and PGI2 had statistical significance in predicting the prognosis of lung cancer. CONCLUSIONS The cPLA2-AA-COX-2 pathway is closely associated with lung cancer. These findings are important for clinical diagnosis of lung cancer.

[SCHWABE Company's patent portfolio of Ginkgo biloba preparation].

SCHWABE Company in German is the first and largest manufacturer of Ginkgo biloba preparation. The company not only has leading technology in this field, but also protects its own market effectively through the high quality of patent drafting and exactly patent layout. Based on multi-angle analysis for patent portfolio of G. biloba preparation at application time, legal status, globally layout, Chinese layout, the article provides technical reference of research and development of G. biloba, also provides valuable experience of traditonal Chinese medicine patent portfolio layout for Chinese enterprises.

[Preliminary study on main impacting factors on brand equity of listed traditional Chinese medicine companies].

The brand equity is valuable intangible assets of traditional Chinese medicine companies, who are excellent representatives of traditional Chinese medicine enterprises and the most promising ones to good international medicine brands. However, there is still no systematic study on how to correctly evaluate the brand equity of listed traditional Chinese medicine companies at present. To make it clear, the main impacting factors on brand equity of listed traditional Chinese medicine companies, both structured open outline pre-research and closed questionnaire research were adopted for the field survey, and some suggestions for how to protect and enhance the brand equity were also presented on the basis of survey and analysis, in the hope of improving the brand management level of listed traditional Chinese medicine companies, and making a beneficial exploration for the development of brand theory of the traditional Chinese medicine industry.

[Retracted] MicroRNA-200c inhibits the metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer cells by targeting ZEB2, an epithelial-mesenchymal transition regulator.

Following the publication of this paper, it was drawn to the Editors' attention by a concerned reader that certain of the cell Transwell assay data in the article (featured in Figs. 2C and 4C) were strikingly similar to data appearing in different form in other articles by different authors at different research institutions, which were already under consideration for publication or had already been published elsewhere at the time of the present article's submission [C. Lai et al, 'MicroRNA­133a inhibits proliferation and invasion, and induces apoptosis in gastric carcinoma cells via targeting fascin actin­bundling protein 1', Mol Med Rep 12: 1473­1478, 2015; and Y. Shi et al, 'MicroRNA­204 inhibits proliferation, migration, invasion and epithelial­mesenchymal transition in osteosarcoma cells via targeting Sirtuin 1', Oncol Rep 34: 399­406, 2015]. Owing to the fact that the contentious data in the above article had already appeared in different form in other articles prior to its submission to Molecular Medicine Reports, the Editor has decided that this paper should be retracted from the Journal. The authors did not reply to indicate whether or not they agreed with the retraction of the paper. The Editor apologizes to the readership for any inconvenience caused. [the original article was published in Molecular Medicine Reports 13: 3349-3355, 2016; DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2016.4901].

Inhibition of PLA2G4A Reduces the Expression of Lung Cancer-Related Cytokines.

Phospholipase A2-IVA (PLA2G4A) is the most abundant subtype of cytoplasmic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) and is an important enzyme in tumor development. Our study aimed to explore the role of PLA2G4A in the regulation of lung cancer. The contents of cell-related cytokines (microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 [mPGES], PGE2, and prostacyclin [PGI2]) in A549 cells were analyzed by ELISA kits. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK8) was used to detect the effects of inhibitor of cPLA2 (arachidonyl trifluoromethyl ketone [AACOCF3]) on the proliferation of A549 cells. The migration and invasion of A549 cells were tested by cell scratch wound healing assay and transwell assay, respectively. Real-time quantitative PCR and Western blotting were used to detect the effect of inhibitor AACOCF3 on the expression of related mRNA and protein in A549 cells. ELISA result showed that the levels of mPGES, PGE2, and PGI2 in control group were significantly higher than those in the AACOCF3 group. Cell inhibition rate in the control group was significantly lower than that in the AACOCF3 group. The percentage of wound healing in the control group was significantly higher than that in the AACOCF3 group. Meanwhile, the relative invasive number of cells in the control group was significantly higher than those in the AACOCF3 group. The expression levels of related mRNA of PLA2G4A and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and the expression levels of mPGES, COX-1, and COX-2 protein in the control group were significantly higher than those in the AACOCF3 group. Our research showed that PLA2G4A was involved in migration and invasion of lung cancer cells.

Induced expression of DREB transcriptional factor and study on its physiological effects of drought tolerance in transgenic wheat.

Expression vector pBAC128F, which carries DREB transcriptional factor gene driven by drought inducing promoter rd29B and bar gene driven by CaMV 35S promoter and maize Adh1 gene first intron, was transferred into the explants of immature inflorescence and immature embryos of hexaploid winter wheat cv. 8901, 5-98, 99-92 and 104 by particle bombardment. More than 70 resistant transgenic plants were obtained. Genomic PCR and RNA dot blotting analyses showed that DREB gene had been integrated into wheat genome of the transgenic plants (T0 and T1) and was well expressed in offspring seed of different transgenic lines. The content of proline in leaves and seeds of T2 transgenic lines was analyzed. Among 16 tested transgenic lines, 10 transgenic lines exhibited more than two fold of proline level in leaves as compared with CK plants. Under drought condition, after stopping water for 15 days the leaves of transgenic lines were still green, while CK were faded. After rewatering for 10 days, the leaves of transgenic lines maintained their green, while all CK plants were dead. Our research suggested that introducing a novel DREB transcriptional factor into wheat is an effective way to improve its drought-tolerance ability.

MicroRNA-200c inhibits the metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer cells by targeting ZEB2, an epithelial-mesenchymal transition regulator.

MicroRNAs (miRs) have been demonstrated to regulate various biological processes in human cancer, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, little evidence has been provided regarding the exact role of miR-200c in mediating the malignant progression of NSCLC, as well as the underlying mechanism. The present study aimed to investigate the putative role of miR­200c in the progression of NSCLC. The expression levels of miR­200c were significantly reduced in NSCLC cell lines compared with in normal lung epithelial cells, as determined by reverse transcription­quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Overexpression of miR­200c significantly suppressed cell migration and invasion of A549 NSCLC cells. Results of a luciferase reporter assay further identified zinc finger E­box­binding homeobox 2 (ZEB2) as a direct target gene of miR­200c, and the expression of ZEB2 was shown to be suppressed in A549 cells overexpressing miR­200c. Furthermore, small interfering RNA­mediated inhibition of ZEB2 suppressed the migration and invasion of A549 cells. In addition, since ZEB2 is an epithelial­mesenchymal transition (EMT) regulator, the role of miR­200c in the regulation of EMT in NSCLC cells was further examined. Results of a western blot analysis indicated that overexpression of miR­200c upregulated E­cadherin, and downregulated N­cadherin and vimentin expression in A549 cells, thus suggesting that EMT was suppressed. Based on these results, the present study suggested that miR­200c was able to inhibit the metastasis of NSCLC cells by targeting ZEB2. Therefore, miR-200c may be considered as a potential candidate for the treatment of NSCLC.

The therapy of gefitinib towards breast cancer partially through reversing breast cancer biomarker arginine.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer remains the leading reason of cancer death among women worldwide, and gefitinib is the efficient drug for breast cancer. AIMS: To use targeted metabolomics method to elucidate the therapeutic mechanism of gefitinib through profiling the amino acids. METHODS: Healthy women (n=56) and women with breast cancer (n=60) were enrolled in Affiliated Yuhuangding hospital, medical college of Qingdao University from 2012-2014. API 3200 triple quadrupole mass spectrometer was used to analyze the serum samples. RESULTS: The concentration of amino acids was compared between healthy women and women with breast cancers. Compared with the healthy women, the concentration of arginine in breast cancer women significantly decreased (p<0.0001). To show the representative capability of arginine towards the pathogenesis of breast cancers, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was drawn, and the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated to be 0.96 ± 0.02, indicating the high predictive capability of arginine for breast cancer . The reversing ability of gefitinib towards the level of arginine was further determined, and 1 month treatment of gefitinib (500 mg/day) significantly reversed the arginine level of breast cancer patients (p<0.0001). CONCLUSION: The therapy of gefitinib towards breast cancer through reversing breast cancer biomarker arginine was demonstrated.

A rare case of primary paranasal sinus angiosarcoma with pulmonary metastasis detected by 18F-FDG PET/CT.

The study reports a rare case of primary paranasal sinus angiosarcoma with pulmonary metastases detected by 18F-FDG PET/CT. A 29-year-old woman presented with nasal congestion and rhinorrhea for 6 months. CT scanning showed a large mass in the right maxillary sinus, which had infiltrated the surrounding tissues. Subsequent evaluation by 18F-FDG PET/CT indicated numerous nodules in the lung, in addition to the paranasal sinus mass, which exhibited elevated FDG activity. Histologic examination after nasal endoscopic biopsy confirmed the diagnosis as primary paranasal sinus angiosarcoma with pulmonary metastases.

Primary Testicular Serous Papillary Carcinoma With Extensive Calcification on CT and FDG PET/CT.

A 67-year-old man with a swollen right testicle also had dry cough for 3 months. Computed tomography of the chest showed multiple calcified lung nodules and lymph nodes in the hilum. FDG PET/CT revealed elevated FDG activity not only in the right testicle mass but also calcified thoracic lesions. Histologic examination after testicle biopsy demonstrated primary testicular papillary serous carcinoma.

[Root architecture of two desert plants in central Hexi Corridor of Northwest China].

In this study, the root systems of desert plant species Reaumuria soongorica and Nitraria tangutorum in the central Hexi Corridor of Northwest China were excavated by shovel, and the characteristics of the plant root architecture were analyzed by using topology and fractal theory. The root topological indices of the two desert plants were small, and the root branching patterns were herringbone-like. The roots of the two desert plants had obvious fractal characteristics, with the fractal dimension of R. soongorica and N. tangutorum being (1.18 +/- 0.04) and (1.36 +/- 0.06), respectively. The root fractal dimension and fractal abundance were significantly positively correlated with the root average link length. The root average link lengths of the two plants were long, which enlarged the plants' effective nutrition space, and thus, made the plants adapt to the dry and infertile soil environment. The sums of the root cross-sectional areas before and after the root bifurcation of the two desert plants were equal, which verified the principle of Leonardo da Vinci. A total of 17 parameters of root architecture were analyzed by the principal component analysis. The parameters of root topological structure, numbers of root links, stepwise branching ratio, and root diameter could well present the root architecture characteristics of the two desert plants.